Mid-engined, lightweight and elemental by comparison with more complex competitors, the Lotus Emira is one of the few remaining “pure” sportscars, and the last ICE-powered Lotus before the marque goes all-electric in 2027. Two engines are available, a Toyota Camry-based supercharged V6 with 6-speed manual gearbox, and a brilliant AMG inline-4, the latter with an 8-speed automatic transmission, which is the most powerful four-banger Lotus has ever made. The composite body over a bonded aluminum chassis is in tune with founder Colin Chapman’s dictum, paraphrased as “Simplify, then add lightness.” It could be, from afar, a modern McLaren or Ferrari in slightly reduced scale. Knife-edge handling, courtesy of hydraulic steering (in an era of electric everything) gives drivers a real sense of touch and communication with the road. Unlike any Lotus before it, the interior is (relatively) capacious, cause for celebration for drivers exceeding Napoleonic stature.